CBS This Morning presents Note to Self: Tyler Perry

I've made it no secret that I subscribe to Tyler Perry's newsletter. The most recent letter from Tyler talks about his participation in the CBS This Morning segment called Note to Self. Perry says it changed his life and urges others to write a letter to their younger selves. His is a piece that is loving, introspective,and encouraging yet powerful. Before seeing his, I saw this exercise as experienced by reality TV star and entrepreneur, Evelyn Lozada. Her letter to her 7-year-old self was moving as well. It seems that writing a letter to one's younger self is a tool by which one can bring about healing of past injuries and hurts. It also appears to be painful but in a manner that soothes the old sore places and promotes healing. Only you can decide if it is a tool that you are willing to use to repair the dilapidated areas of your life. Why not? As long as you are still alive, you have the power to change your life. And, of course, you're so worth it!

Evelyn Lozada: Beautiful Liar

Tonight's episode of Basketball Wives was part two of the reunion. Evelyn and Jennifer took polygraphs but I won't start out writing about that as I want to save the best for last.

First, congratulations to Royce on her successful acting debut. I missed the whole Twitter debacle with Dezmon. Do what's best for you. Next...

When she is not being yelled at and cursed out, it appears that Kesha can indeed speak up for herself. I don't think she and Tami will be friends any time soon. Such is life. I still think Tami is cool peeps. My opinion. I'm entitled. Moving on...

As usual, Suzie got jumped on for running back telling something somebody said. She denies it. I don't remember that scene and I don't care. Suzie, give us something to talk about, girl.

Lots of tears tonight. Shaunie, there's really no reason for you to feel guilty. Yes, you invited the women to join you on the show. No, you are not responsible for them acting up. However, let's not be so quick to call some fans "judgmental". I like "highly opinionated" better. Fans get invested in watching the drama unfold between the ladies they like and the ones they like to hate. Face the facts, fans are not the ones in front of the cameras airing their business and they are not the ones behind the cameras taping it or the ones doing the editing and deciding what to show and how to portray you all. So, to put down the viewers as if they don't realize that it's just mindless entertainment is a bit wrong. And you all don't make it seem any less true when you continue to address your spats in blogs, via twitter, and in interviews. You can't put it all off on the fans as being too judgmental or having too much time on their hands. No one can peek in your window if you close the curtains. But I'm glad you're leaving them open for season five! Seriously, Shaunie, you can't control the other women's behavior, hence your pastor's advice... come up to the mountain and leave the ones who want to stay there in the valley.

Jennifer's polygraph results determined that she was untruthful when she answered "no" to the question of whether she was jealous of Evelyn's relationship with Chad. It happens, Jen. You have to fall back when your single friend gets a man in her life. At least you were able to admit that you miss your friendship. That was key in being able to move forward and repair things.

Now, on to the woman I am calling a beautiful liar... Evelyn Lozada. When asked if she missed her friendship with Jen, Eve tried to be hard (one assumes) and answered "no". It was determined to be a lie. What's beautiful about that? Nothing. But, when John Salley reached for her hand to get her on her feet and over to Jen for a hug, she did not hesitate to rise to the occasion. Jennifer was reluctant (John can be heard saying, "You better get yo ass up?") and stood motionless when she did stand. Stay with me 'cause the beautiful part is coming right now! Evelyn stretched out open arms to Jen and pulled her close for a hug, tears falling. It was a beautiful thing, a precious moment, if you will. In my estimation, that was the best part of the entire two part reunion. Even after Jen said to Evelyn, "I don't want to do this here", Evelyn explained her actions and expressed her regret. And that, Basketball Wives fans, is why I named her Beautiful Liar.

Almost made me tear up. Almost.

Best of luck with piecing your friendships together ladies (all of you)!!!

"I wish you would!"

VH1's  Basketball Wives knows how to bring the drama with constant arguments between the women who, oddly enough, claim to be friends.  Each week, somebody's gettin' a good cussin' out. These days, drama translates to more than just venomous words... it means physical violence.

Things have escalated so much so that viewers, spurred on by talk show host Wendy Williams, are boycotting the show and are petitioning online prevent Evelyn Lozada from having a spin-off show due to her "bullying". Some fans are offended that women are shown in such a turbulent angry red haze --- throwing a full bottle of wine at someone's head, slapping someone in the face, and jumping on a table to run and dive on the other chick.

While I understand how those who have taken offense feel, I can understand how easy it is to let your anger get the better of you as well. Been there many times.  Will still go there if necessary.  So, I'm not boycotting or signing that petition because I feel like Tami and Evelyn are me, just in a different city and on TV.  This chick ain't mad at them. You have to stand up for yourself. And some of us are just magnets for drama. Not that we want to be but it likes us.

Let's get to what I can't understand.  The slap heard around the world. That situation has been stuck in my craw since the episode aired weeks ago.  It was brought up again tonight and the asinine attempt to  justify it (again) was so ridiculous, I have to speak on it.

The argument went like so:



So, chick gets up and comes around the long a$$ table to do just that. Slap Jen in her freakin' face.  Jen just sits there as though she doesn't see this girl coming for her.  WTF, Jen? Are you out of your M Fing mind?  I don't care how refined and bougie you are, you don't hold still and let a b!+ch smack the damn taste out of your mouth. You should have been on your feet with that six inch heel in your freakin' hand by the time she made it around that table. What!! Girl, if I could've, I would have reached through the TV and slapped your a$$ right after she did just because you sat there and let her do it.  Now that's what I can't understand.  Why would you not even attempt to protect and defend yourself when you knew she was on her way to get you? See, that's what the viewers should be boycotting, stupidity like that. That kinda crap should have people scratching their heads in amazement.  I won't be the first one to resort to violence, but if you attack me, it's on, baby!  Cuss and scream all you want to but don't put your damn hands on me.

The other thing that I don't understand is the crazy (I'm being nice) explanation for why Jen was slapped.  As of tonight, it has been said at least twice that she "asked" to be slapped.  You heifers are crazy.  Quit playing stupid 'cause the viewers aren't that dumb that they're buying that crap.  Everybody knows that when you're in a heated argument and someone makes a threat and the other person responds with, "I wish you would" or "I wish you might", even prefaced by the word "yeah", it is not an invitation for you to carry out your threat.  It is a warning, plain and simple.  Translated, it means, 1) "Go ahead and try it and see what happens, fool!"; 2) "Come on over here; you'll get the best a$$ whippin' you ever had 3) "Um hmm! You might act crazy but you know better.

Sadly, in Jen's case, it simply meant, "Okay, I'll be waiting, girl."  But ladies, please stop trying to convince us that Jen invited that chick to slap her. Pure nonsense!  You seem foolish each time you say it.  And the lawsuit, well, it might be a bit much to us chicks who don't mind scrapping; but, clearly, Jen is not that chick.  Even if she was at some point in her past, she has distanced herself from such behavior and she prefers to do her battle in the legal arena. To each her own. You choose the action, you have to live with the consequences.  The slap got you a few moments of fame but Jen is taggin' that a$$ in court.

Does that mean that chick asked for the lawsuit? I think it does. Oh, and if you're wondering why I'm calling her "chick", I don't remember her name and she just seemed so random, like she didn't belong there with the group. That is all.  Now go play nice!


P.S.  I found this  article on TMZ  and the Youtube video above. Her name is Nia.